The San Francisco 49ers held their first practice of the week on Wednesday without a key defensive leader. Linebacker Fred Warner is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a dislocated and fractured right ankle in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He underwent a successful surgery on Tuesday, but isn't expected to be back until the offseason.

Ahead of practice, linebacker Tatum Bethune opened up about stepping into Warner's role. Tasked with filling in for the All-Pro, Bethune reflected on his two NFL seasons and the lessons he's learned from one of the league's premier linebackers.


"Fred's been everything to me—a teacher, just a brother, just a friend, too," Bethune said. "Everything, the way he carries himself on and off the field, I just learned a lot from Fred.

"I'm rooting for him. He's in good spirits right now, but our goal is to go out there and make him proud on the field, and show him that the legacy and the standard that he set for this San Francisco 49ers defense is going to be upheld."

When asked about specific lessons from Warner, Bethune said, "Just being poised and confident in everything you do. That's what you want from a Mike linebacker, and that's what I'm going to do."



A big opportunity for Bethune


Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, who has been back with the 49ers for a while now, has faced linebacker Bethune in practice and sees a real chance for the young player to step up. Bourne believes this is an opportunity for Bethune to prove he's worthy of the team's confidence.


"Tatum, that's big shoes to fill, but it's the opportunity," Bourne said. "You think about injuries, you think about how people get created, how people get their chance, and it's usually how it goes in the league. Fred playing at a high level, so many starting snaps, a lot of film on him, so he can watch a lot of things that he can learn from.

"And he's been around him, so it's going to be huge. But everybody else, just the same thing—taking advantage of the [opportunity]. You never know when it's going to present itself, and the question is, are you ready? ... So, I'm excited for him, though. It's going to be good for him. It usually happens to the ones that are ready."



Bethune praises Robert Saleh


This season marks Bethune's first working with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The linebacker credits Saleh's teaching approach for helping him adjust.

"I love Coach Saleh because he gives an explanation on everything he wants to do," Bethune said. "He doesn't leave us blind and just call the play. So, he calls it, and we understand why he's calling it, and what he's trying to get done. It makes a lot of stuff easier for the defense."


More pressure on the offense?


With Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa lost for the season, is there added pressure on the 49ers offense to carry more of the load down the stretch?

"It's a good question," Bourne said. "Yeah, as an offense, offensive minds, having an offensive-minded coach, we want to lead the team. We're always competing with the defense—in a good way. We want to be the leaders of the team. And once you're competing like that, you're going to play good as a collective group.

"So, we want to put the points, we want to do the right things, and it's more pressure now. It always is, but now, we got to keep carrying our workload and doing what we need to do to just help the team win."

Bourne emphasizes that the offense should focus on fundamentals and execute the small plays that make a big difference in games.

"I think it's important to just have positive runs, whether it's two yards, one yard, just staying ahead of the sticks to give us a chance," Bourne said. "I think that's how you want to play. You don't want to just try to take shots ... not trying to do anything that we don't normally do. I think that'll keep us in a good position to just help control the game."


After some time reacclimating to the 49ers offense, Bourne says things are starting to click for the veteran wideout. It's shown up on the field, too. He has recorded 142 receiving yards in each of his last two games.

"In the beginning, it was tough, but just getting comfortable," Bourne said. "I know the movements. My body knows how to move within the offense. New terms. I didn't know [offensive coordinator] Klay [Kubiak] before I got here, so learning Klay, how he operates and things too, was dope to learn. And we've built a good relationship so far, and it's been fun."

From soccer dreams to NFL kicker—and love for his parents


Eddy Piñeiro always dreamed of becoming a top soccer player. While his path didn't go as planned, he's grateful for the opportunity the NFL has given him.

"My dad was a professional soccer player," Piñeiro said. "My goal was to be better than him, and that never happened. But thank God this worked out for me, and I'm able to support my family doing it."

Piñeiro admits that the pressure of being an NFL kicker can be intense, but he always knows he can lean on his father for guidance.


"My dad, like I said, he was a professional soccer player," Piñeiro said. "He's missed penalty kicks, he's made penalty kicks, and he's helped his team win. He's been the reason why they've lost. And my dad's just really helped me through this whole process."

The kicker and his father remain close. Two years ago, Piñeiro bought his dad a house in Miami, just two doors down from him, to make sure they stayed near each other.

"That's the only guy I have left in this world," Piñeiro added.

Piñeiro has always been determined to take care of his parents, using his earnings to ensure they never have to worry about money. What was his parents' reaction to their son allowing them to retire?

"They were super happy, of course," Piñeiro said. "They deserve the world, and this is why I do it. I do it for them, and if it's up to me, I'll live under a bridge. I'm okay. As long as they're living good, that's all that matters."


On the field, Piñeiro has been a reliable presence for the San Francisco 49ers this season, stepping in for struggling kicker Jake Moody, now with the Chicago Bears. Piñeiro has made all 15 of his field goal attempts and seven of eight extra points, including four field goals in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—a game his parents attended.

"I wanted to do really good in front of my mom and dad," Piñeiro said. "I feel like sometimes I'm still a little kid. Like, I want to perform good in front of my mom and dad. I want them to be proud of me. So, having them there, I felt a little extra pressure because I'm like, 'No, I need to do well.' They haven't seen me in over a month. I want to do good for my mom. I want to do good for my dad. It felt good to have a good performance, even though we lost."



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